Jerusalem

JERUSALEM LODGE

Location: South Hadley; Northampton (1802); Williamsburg (1807); Northampton (1817).

Chartered By: Paul Revere

Charter Date: 06/12/1797 II-100

Precedence Date: 06/12/1797

Current Status: Active

NOTES

Ionic (Easthampton) Lodge merged here, 04/12/2005.

PAST MASTERS

living Past Masters plus GL officers only; need complete list

Simeon Goodman, 1797
Elihu Dwight, between 1798 and 1801
Daniel Stebbins, 1802; SN
Joseph Flinto, 1817
Christopher Clarke, 1825, 1831
Charles E. Forbes, before 1827; SN
William W. Partridge, before 1828; SN
Levi Lyman, before 1830; SN
assorted before 1856?
David W. Crafts, 1857
1858-1866?
Joseph C. Williams, 1867
1868-1876?
William C. Robinson, 1877, 1878; Mem
1879, 1880?
John A. Sullivan, 1881, 1882
Frank L. Clapp, 1883, 1884
Henry Jones, 1885, 1886
Charles H. Boyden, 1887, 1888
David T. Remington, 1889, 1890
Lemuel B. Field, 1891, 1892
Frank R. Mantor, 1893, 1894
John F. Lambie, 1895, 1896
Aubrey B. Munyan, 1897, 1898
Charles E. Crittenden, 1899, 1900
Henry R. Chase, 1901, 1902
Frederick C. Ely, 1903, 1904
Arthur H. Spear, 1905, 1906
David C. Crafts, 1907
Louis L. Campbell, 1908; SN
Fred M. Crittenden, 1909
Chester W. French, 1910
Noah H. Lee, 1911; SN
Rupert E. Dickinson, 1912
Charles W. Whiting, 1913
John J. Clark, 1914
John A. Crosier, 1915
George E. Douglass, 1916
George A. Ely, 1917
William A. Brownell, 1918
Will N. Doane, 1919, 1920
Claude E. Douglas, 1921
Clarence E. Park, 1922
Roy S. Armstrong, 1923
Ralph C. Nuttelman, 1924
Harold L. Ames, 1925
Eugene L. Richards, 1926
Roscoe K. Noble, 1927
Hubert M. Canning, 1928; SN
P. Joseph King, 1929
Leroy L. Ames, 1930
Charles H. Addis, 1931
Harold Y. Beastall, 1932
Sylvester E. Hoxie, 1933
LeRoy W. Jones, 1934
Harold I. Grousbeck, 1935
Lothrop Sawin, 1936
Raymond D. Newell, 1937
Paul F. Lyman, 1938
George B. Fischer, 1939
William A. Maginnis, 1940
Ira B. Dickinson, 1941
Elton C. Holmes, 1942
Clarence W. Hodges, 1943
William H. Wilson, 1944
Percival B. Amatt, 1945
Walter F. Rudy, 1946
Gordon W. Harlow, 1947
James H. Saltzgiver, 1948
J(oseph). George August, 1949; SN
Ernest C. Driver, 1950
Wiliam L. Osterhout, 1951
Raymond D. Newell, Jr., 1952
Ernest T. Otto, 1953; N
Robert R. Askew, 1954; N
Justin B. Stone, 1955
Robert M. Scott, Jr., 1956
James E. Harrop, 1957, 1958
Charles L. Blanchard, 1959
Anthony W. Minohay, 1960
Joseph F. Brackett, 1961
Leonard Budgar, 1962
Francis M. O'Connor, 1963
Charles D. DeBruler, 1964
Richard S. Hale, 1965
Roger K. Swanson, 1966
Ivol M. Corwin, 1967
Ernest A. Smith, 1968, 1976
Harry A. Culver, 1969
Alexander F. Kulas, 1970, 1983, 1990, 1991
L. P. Nations, 1971
Peter A. Jones, 1972, 1975
Perry Smith, 1973, 1974
Walter F. Rudy, 1977
Robert Smith, 1978, 1979
Lyman R. Merriam, 1980, 1981
Rodney L. Merriam, 1982
Jesse A. Rydenski, Jr., 1984, 1985, 1994, 1995
George R. Dion, 1986, 1989; PDDGM
Robert L. Benson, 1987
David E. Hentz, Sr., 1988
Alexander F. Kulas, 1991
Leo A. Provost, 1992, 1993
Clifford Bennett, 1996, 1997
Bharat J. Trivedi, 1998
Donald L. Grise, 1999, 2006
Arthur W. Wright, 2000, 2001
Mark A. Cohen, 2002
David A. Cohen, 2003
Clayton T. Meglarz, 2004, 2005
William W. Gibb, Jr., 2007, 2008, 2011
David E. Hentz, Jr., 2009
Brian E. Paige, 2010
Erik C. Fawell, 2012
Mark Stevens, 2013

YEARS

1797 1807 1817

Meetings suspended between 1829 and 1845, but charter not surrendered.

1856 1876 1878 1882 1886 1888 1889 1898 1899 1901 1904 1906 1909 1911 1912 1913 1916 1917 1919 1921 1922 1924 1926 1927 1928 1929 1931 1932 1947 1948 1950 1952 1953 1955 1956 ? 1959 1972 1974 1977 1978 1982 1986 1988 2003 2004 2005 2009

HISTORY

125TH ANNIVERSARY HISTORY, JUNE 1922

From Proceedings, Page 1922-138:

That the Fraternity has existed for centuries and grown stronger with the passing years is sufficient to enlist the admiration and. commendation of the unprejudiced public. Added to this it is doubtful if any organization outside the Christian Church has exerted a greater moral or humanitarian influence upon its members than has the order of Masons.

We are met tonight to celebrate the passing of an important milestone in the existence of Jerusalem Lodge, the local branch of this great Fraternity. Many obstacles are met with when one attempts to write a history of an organization that has been in existence one hundred and twenty-five years.

A century or two ago the matter of making records even of important events was apparently considered of little importance. In many of our towns it is found that the records of vital statistics for the past century are incomplete, and other records of important affairs very brief and meager. It is not surprising, therefore, to find. that the records of what occurred in Masonic circles one hundred and twentyfive years ago are insufficient to enable one to eompile a complete history of those events. It is known, however, that the first Masonic Lodge located in Northampton was Hampshire Lodge, chartered in 1784, the year following the close of the Revolutionary War. Who were its founders, how long it flourished, and when it ceased to exist, we have been unable to discover.

Practically the only authentic information is gleaned from the notations that appear on the records of the Massaehusetts Grand Lodge. In acldition to the records of the granting of its Charter, we note that Hampshire Lodge was represented in the Grand Lodge in 1785 by Worshipful Brother General Benjamin Tappen and in 1786 by Elisha Porter. The records show that Hampshire Lodge was represented in the Grand Lodge at a total of nine regular sessions.

In the record of 1792, the last mention is made of the Lodge in question. Under date of September 7, 1787, we find this interesting entry in the Grand Lodge records :

"Hampshire Lodge has passed a vote that the names of Daniel Shays, Luke Day and Elijah Day who are members of that Lodge, to be transmitted to the Grand Lodge to be recorded with infamy, in consequence of their conduct in the late Rebellion."

Daniel Shays was the chief leader in the insurrection against the Government after the Revolutionary War known as Shays' Rebellion. The action of old Hampshire Lodge more than a century ago proves that in all ages Masonic principles demand of its members loyalty to government and obedience to law.

Jerusalem Lodge was chartered June 13, 1797. AII the petitioners for the Charter resided in South Hadley and there its sessions were held for several years. The jurisdiction of the Lodge evidently covered a considerable number of towns, Northampton being one, and it is assumed that in those days there was not as much difference in the size of the places as later. The members of Jerusalem Lodge are justly proud of the fact that their Charter was signed by Paul Revere of Revolutionary fame, he being Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts at that time. The first meeting of the Lodge of which there is any record was held at the house of Simeon Goodman on the third Wednesday of July (July 19), 1797. At that meeting the following officers were elected:

Simeon Goodman, Worshipful Master
Frederick Miller, Senior Warden
Bezalial Alvord, Junior Warden
Elihu Dwight, Seeretary
Samuel Alvord, Treasurer
Adonijah Nash, Senior Deacon
Eleazer Goodman, Junior Deacon
Joseph White Senior Steward

At this first meeting it was also voted that "AII members present pay to the treasurer the sum of one dollar, to procure the necessaries for the Lodge." The records state that with one exception this was promptly done. One Brother was under the apparent necessity of deferring his payment. Thus the first treasurer of Jerusalem Lodge became the custodian of the Lodge funds which amounted to nine dollars. Little did Treasurer Alvord dream that when one hundred and twenty-five years should have elapsed his suceessors in office would have disbursed thousands of dollars to distressed worthy Brothers, their widows and orphans, and that the nine dollars in his possession was the nucleus of the large sums which the succeeding treasurers of Jerusalem Lodge should handle.

Though Hampshire Lodge was established in Northampton prior to the institution of Jerusalem Lodge in South Hadley it evidently passed out of existence before the latter had been long at work, for at the regular meeting of Jerusalem Lodge in February, 1798, a proposition was received from some of the Masons of Northampton to ascertain if they were willing to have their Charter annulled and unite with them at Northampton and take out a new Charter. The Lodge appointed a committee to confer with the Brethren at Northampton. Among the conferees was the late venerable Dr. Daniel Stebbins, whose portrait now hangs in the Tyler's room. Little was accomplished at the conference, however, although many plans and suggestions were offered. The sessions of Jerusalem Lodge continued to be held at South Hadley and many additions were made to its membership from Northampton and other towns. In February, 1802, however, it was voted, "for the good of Masonry," to remove the Lodge from South Hadley. A committee was chosen and it was finally decided upon authority of the Grand Lodge to locate Jerusalem Lodge in Northampton. Consequently, the Lodge voted to meet on the first Monday of June (June 7), 1802, at the home of "Brother Asahel Pomeroy in Northampton at two o'clock p.m."

Thus Jerusalem Lodge rvas established in Northampton. But, alas, not permanently, for about five years later, in March, 1807, for some unknown reason it was voted "That this Lodge be moved from Northampton. " In October of the same year it was "Voted to hoid the next meeting at Brother Hubbard's in Williamsburg." The records give no reason for this action of the Lodge. However, Williamsburg continued to be the home of Jerusalem Lodge for about ten years, rvhen we find in the records under date of September, 1817, this entry: "Voted, that a petition be forwarded to the Grand Lodge, praying that this Lodge be removed to Northampton. " Accordingty, the meeting of November 18, 1817, was held at the house of Levi Lyman in Northampton. In reference to the last removal the records leave us as much in the dark as in the previous instances. We only know that "for the good of Masonry" Jerusalem Lodge has been thrice removed.

To recapitulate; Jerusalem Lodge has held its meetings for the one hundred and twenty-five years of its existence as follows: five years at South Hadley, the next five at Northampton, the following ten at Wiliiamsburg, and. the last one hundred and five at Northampton. As has been stated, the real reasons for these several migrations are unknown at the present day and are largely a matter of conjecture. Of course, in those early days there were few, if any, regular Lodge-rooms and no public halls. The dining rooms of the taverns were about the only places sufficiently large for Lodge purposes and it is understood that most meetirrgs lvere held in such rooms: At that period there was more or less hostility to Masonry and it is quite possible that a change of tavern proprietors, from one who was a Mason to one who was unfriendly, may have made it almost necessary to find a more congenial location. Again, it may have been that the increased number of members from some town or towns rvithin the jurisdiction of the Lodge made it possible for that section to outvote other factions of the Lodge, and so the location may have been changed to meet the desires of the more influential or larger group. But the more probable reason would seem to have been for the better aceommodation of the Brethren for at least a term of years. As the jurisdiction was large and travel difficult, distance meant more to the members than in these days of automobiles and paved roads. Horseback or the "one hoss shay,' was the conventional method of travel in the year 1800.

When Jerusalem Lodge was located for the second time in Northampton, in the year 1817, we find the following persons acting as officers:

Joseph Flinto, Worshipful Master
Isaac O. Bates, Senior Warden
Abner Bryant, Junior Warden
Marshall Flagg, Senior Deacon
Nahum Flagg, Junior Deacon
Levi Lyman, Treasurer
Christopher Clarke, Secretary
Sidney P. Brewster, Steward
Noadiah Pease, Tyler

Unlike most of the older Lodges, the continuity of Jerusalem Lodge was not broken during the so-called Morgan excitement. It did not surrender its charter as most Lodges did. The Grand Lodge, because of the anti-Masonic wave passing over the country, deeming it wise to suspend work for a time, requested Lodges within its jurisdiction to surrender their Charters. Evidently the relationship between the Grand Lodge and the subordinate Lodges was not so close in those days as at present for Jerusalem Lodge did not.comply. It did, however, discontinue its meetings, but the Charter was secreted by Major Wm. Parsons and but few members of the Lodge even knew where. (It is said, upon apparently good authority, that Major Parsons bricked up the Charter in a hole made for that purpose in the great chimney of his house. When the messenger of the Grand Lodge demanded it he said that he remembered having seen such a docummt, but he had not seen it for a long time. Important busines elsewhere prevented his making search at that time, but if the messenger would go to the house, perhaps the women-folks could find it. He himself had not seen it recently. Needless to say "the women-folks" could not find it.) From about 1829 to 1845 no regular meetings of Jerusalem Lodge were held. After that date meetings were resumed under the original Charter.

The members of Jerusalem Lodge may well be proud of the honorable and distinguished names to be found among those who have signed its by-laws. The list of Past Masters of the Lodge embrace United States. Senators, army generals, judges, professional men, and many others who have honorably served the state and nation in military and civil life. There are sixteen Past Masters living, three of whom have served as District Deputy Grand Master. We are proud of the fact that our two oldest Past Masters wear the Henry Price Medal.

It is, of course, gratifying to members of the Masonic Fraternity to realize the change in public sentiment concerning the Order during the past century.

In the early years of Jerusalem Lodge, the uninitiated not only looked askance at a man said to be or known to be a Mason, but much reproach was heaped upon the Order. Particularly among the clergy did this anti-Masonic prejudice exist, and from many a pulpit have tirades against Freemasonry been launched. How changed the public attitude toward Masonry today! At the present time, to say of a man "he is a Mason " is equivalent to have given him a credential which entitles him to the full confidence and respect of his fellow men; and as for the clergy, a large percent of Protestant ministers are at present active members of our Order, and Masonry is held in high esteem by most of those who have not yet applied for admission. To those of us to whom the tenets of Masonry are so familiar, this change of public sentiment is not surprising. Masonry teaches the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man. It requires of its members loyalty to state and nation. It pledges itseif to eare for the aged, the widow, and the fatherIess. Its principles demand honesty, integrity, and uprightness of its members. As these facts have become better known by the people, the changed sentiment is but a natural result.

Jerusalem Lodge has today a membership of over five hundred. A large number of its members have advanced through the York Rite degrees of the Royal Arch Chapter, the Council of Royal and Select Masters, and the Commandery of Knights Templars. Until recently only a few members have taken the Scottish Rite degrees, but within the past year, over one hundred have advanced through some of the Ancient and Aceepted bodies of this Rite, and quite a number have attained the 32d degree. The membership of Jerusalem Lodge is growing rapidly in common with other Masonic Lodges at the present time. An idea of how fast the number of Masons in Massachusetts is increasing can be gained from the following figures: Ten years ago there were about sixty thousand Masons in this Commonwealth, today there are about one hundred and ten thousand. Two-fifths of our entire membership has been added during the last decade.

Since Jerusalem Lodge was finally established in Northampton, its meetings have been held in a number of different locations. Sessions were held for a time in the so-called "Red Tavern" which stood about on the site of St. Mary's Church. The Lodge also occupied for a time rooms in what was known as the Colonnade Building, located. on the site of Edwards Church. About 1822 Captain Isaac Damon erected the brick building at the corner of Main and Masonic Streets, in which Beckmann's store is located, and expected that ultimately the Lodge would take over the building, and for a time it was called "Masonic Building."

About that time Masonic Street was formally laid out and the name adopted because of the building on the corner. In this building Jerusalem Lodge occupied the first rooms especially fitted up for Lodge purposes. It is understood that the Lodge was located in these rooms until its meetings were suspended in 1829. When its sessions were resumed in 1845 for some reason it occupied rooms in the building in which Ruder's store is norv located. Later, they returned to the so-called Masonic Buitding at the corner of Main and Masonic Streets and that building was the home of the Lodge until 1885, when it moved to Dickinson Block on lower Main Street. For about thirteen years Jerusalem Lodge occupied the latter rooms when it moved into its present apartments.

In 1897 the Masonic Temple was erected with apartments of course especially designed and equipped for Lodge purposes, together with club rooms, a dining hall, and an armory for the use of the Commandery of Knights Templars. The Temple was dedieated on June 13, 1898, which was the one hundred and first anniversary of Jerusalem Lodge. That was a gala day for Masonry in Northampton. The dedication ceremony by the Grand Lodge, the monster parade of many western Massachusetts Lodges with the Commandery acting as escort, the grand. banquet with speeches and a historical address in the evening, made it a day that will long be remembered by the Masons who were present.

And so we find Jerusalem Lodge today occupying its commodious suite of ten. rooms in the Masonic Temple, strong numerically, strong financially, and strong fraternally; its full membership, we believe, striving in their daily lives to exemplify the tenets of their profession.

EVENTS

ELECTION OF OFFICERS, NOVEMBER 1830

From Boston Masonic Mirror, New Series, Vol. 2, No. 27, January 1, 1831, Page 210:

Officers of Jerusalem Lodge, holden at Northampton, Elected November, 1830:

Christopher Clarke, Master
Charles P. Huntington, Senior Warden
Charles Walker, Junior Warden
Joseph Muencher, Chaplain
Charles C. Nichols, Proxy in the G. Lodge
Edward Dickinson, Secretary
William Parsons, Treasurer
George Plumb, Senior Deacon.
George Shepard, Junior Deacon
Alfred Robinson, Senior Steward
Stephen F. Knight, Junior Steward
Michael Williams, Tyler

MEMORIALS

ELIHU DWIGHT 1763-1854

From Elihu Dwight Papers at Mount Holyoke College:

Elihu Dwight was born on October 22, 1763 in Belchertown, Massachusetts to Justus Dwight and Sarah Lamb Dwight. After graduating from Dartmouth College in 1790, he studied medicine with Dr. Ebenezer Hunt in Northampton, Massachusetts. Dwight became one of the first physicians to establish a medical practice in South Hadley, Massachusetts. On October 7, 1801, he married Lydia White of Springfield, Massachusetts. They had four daughters and four sons together. He became a successful businessperson and acquired a good deal of property in the local area. He also made a substantial donation towards the establishment of the Mount Holyoke Female Seminary. At ninety, he died in his South Hadley home on June 1, 1854.

Dwight is listed as a charter member of Jerusalem Lodge, and was raised there U.D. 07/24/1797. He is a P.M. in the Register.

GRAND LODGE OFFICERS

Robert R. Askew, DDGM, District 17 (Holyoke), 1957, 1958; N
J(oseph). George August, DDGM, District 17 (Holyoke), 1951, 1952; SN
Louis L. Campbell, DDGM, District 14 (Greenfield), 1911, 1912; SN
Hubert M. Canning, DDGM, District 17 (Holyoke), 1931, 1932; SN
David W. Crafts, DDGM, District 10, 1865-1866; District 10 (Springfield), 1867-1869; Senior Grand Warden 1871
Wendell T. Davis, Senior Grand Warden 1865
George R. Dion, DDGM, District 17 (Holyoke), 1989, 1990
Charles E. Forbes, DDGM, District 10, 1827; SN
Noah H. Lee, DDGM, District 17 (Holyoke), 1919, 1920; SN
John A. Lee, DDGM, District 10 (Springfield), 1869, 1870, 1871; SN
Levi Lyman, DDGM, District 10, 1830, 1831; SN
Ernest T. Otto, DDGM, District 17 (Holyoke), 1973, 1974; N
William W. Partridge, DDGM, District 10, 1828, 1829; SN
Leo A. Provost, DDGM, District 17 (Holyoke), 1999, 2000
David T. Remington, DDGM, District 13 (Greenfield), 1893, 1894; Junior Grand Warden 1901
William C. Robinson, DDGM, District 10 (Springfield), 1879, 1880; Memorial
Daniel Stebbins, DDGM, District 7 (North Central Massachusetts), 1806, 1807; SN
John A. Sullivan, DDGM, District 13 (Greenfield), 1889, 1890; Junior Grand Warden 1928